Addressing threats to health care's core values, especially those stemming from concentration and abuse of power - and now larger threats to the democracy needed to advance health and welfare. Advocating for accountability, integrity, transparency, honesty and ethics in leadership and governance of health care.
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
BLOGSCAN - Throwing Money at Zetia Marketing
On the Question Authority blog, Dr Peter Rost takes some time off from having fun discussing the Emperors Club VIP, i.e., the organization which NY Governor Eliot Spitzer allegedly patronized, to his downfall, to address Schering-Plough's alleged new marketing campaign for Zetia. He has a great anonymous post from someone who may be a Schering-Plough drug rep, "throwing money at a problem is not the way to fix things - it will only make matters worse. Have the company come clean about the study, give us some good (or even not so good) evidenced based medicine - and let us earn back the business the right way." Hear, hear.
I was wondering what people think about AstraZeneca's "unbranded educational" campaign to raise awareness of atherosclerosis.
ReplyDeletewww.usagainstathero.com
Call me cynical, but I think they are just trying to raise awareness of the word "atherosclerosis" to make their advertising for Crestor more effective.
Marilyn
http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=261972
ReplyDeleteHere's the cafepharma thread.
Marilyn
I notice on the "Us Against Athero" website AZ is trying to get people to sign up for something called the "Athero IQ Program."
ReplyDelete"WHAT YOU CAN DO
Get the Athero IQ Program
Sign up for the Athero IQ Program, an ongoing educational series about treatment options, questions for your doctor, diet and exercise tips, and important health factors.
Sign up now and AstraZeneca will make a $1 donation, up to a total of $25,000, to WomenHeart, the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease."
The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is a nonprofit organization that has support groups for women with heart disease. I don't know much about this particular group, but the problem with these kind of groups receiving funding from pharmaceutical companies is that the pharmaceutical companies often have their own purposes for donating the money. On occasion, nonprofit patient-run groups have even endorsed specific drugs or devices made by companies that fund them.
Marilyn Mann
update on Zetia 49 plan from Pharmalot:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pharmalot.com/2008/03/senate-wants-schering-plough-49-plan-papers/
Marilyn